HOW WE BUILT THE BEST BASE LAYER SHORTS EVER

AMMO wasn’t an accident. We busted our asses to build the most comfortable, highest performing shorts possible. Here’s an inside look at how we made it all happen.

Warning: this post contains strong language.

Before I get started, let me say something to all the aspiring entrepreneurs out there: This shit is HARD. It’s tougher than any practice, game, or training camp you’ll ever experience. Unless you’re willing to sacrifice sleep, family, love, friendship, and pretty much everything else in life, keep your ass on the sidelines. Entrepreneurship isn’t for you.

I’d know: I’ve started companies and failed. Along the way I’ve lost a lot of money (my own and others’). I’ve seen things end with an amazing girl. I’ve sacrificed time with my family. I’ve stood by and watched many of my friends take major steps in their careers as my company crashed and burned.

This is why for us, AMMO isn’t a game. It’s life, baby.

We’ve tried just about every pair of compressions on the market. We found that every brand has different strengths and weaknesses, but that there’s ultimately one commonality: THEY’RE ALL UNCOMFORTABLE. Seriously.

Don’t just take it from me; check out the reviews for one of UA’s core compression shorts.

That’s a rating of 1.4 out of 5. Really.

Need more proof? Here are a few of the review titles:

“Quality has Decreased, Somebody Messed Up!”

“Fabric ripped too easily-agree quality has decreased”

“Disappointed”

“Will Not Order”

To be fair, this is just a single data point from one company. But it’s feedback like this that led us to survey nearly 70 athletes earlier this year about their compressions. Take a look at this chart:

Over 50% of respondents think their compressions have a “major problem" or “could be better” in eight areas. Why do we continue to accept this shit? This isn’t baseball where batting .300 (or .280 in UA’s case) makes you an All-Star. These are your compression shorts. They’re the first thing you put on. They’re what supports your most valuable “assets”…or do they?

Armed with this data we began our mission to create the most comfortable base layer shorts ever. This included countless hours dedicated to:

Talking to real athletes about their base layers, what’s important, and the problems they experience.

Evaluating materials from 100+ suppliers across the globe in order to find the highest quality inputs.

Hiring a team of technical talent deeply experienced in men’s underwear design.

Iterating through five phases of fit samples in order to perfect our shorts.

Partnering with a leading U.S.-based factory that produces for some of the top names in the market.

Testing AMMO with over 20 athletes of all shapes and sizes to validate every aspect of our product.

Putting our money where our mouth is and funding our first production run directly from our own pockets.

Why’d we do all this? Because we BELIEVE. We believe that we can make a difference for athletes everywhere. We believe that all athletes deserve a base layer that:

Fits great, particularly in the most sensitive areas

Feels like a million bucks

Is durable enough to withstand the rigors of battle

Performs at a high level (e.g. wick sweat, resist smells)

Doesn’t break the bank

Now, let’s take another look at the previous chart and compare it to our AMMO shorts:

I like to think we’ve accomplished our goals set out above. But, again, don’t take it from me. Here are a few quotes from our AMMO testers (all different individuals):

“Most comfortable compression shorts I've ever worn. Majority of the time it doesn't even feel like you're wearing compression shorts/underwear.”

“Amazing. It literally felt like I wasn't wearing a base layer.”

“AMMO truly is the most comfortable I have tried”

“Best pair of compressions I've owned…felt like my nuts were on a cloud”

“Love the fit, comfort, and support in the necessary areas!”

“Best pair I've worn in a long time”

“The pouch is fantastic!”

“Very comfortable, soft, and unique.”

“…boy were they AWESOME! Comfort, material and being able to move easily in them was excellent!”

So if you’re like us and are fed up with your base layer shorts, we’d love to have you try a pair of AMMO. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

If you have any questions about AMMO shoot us an email at yo@ammoathletic.com and I’ll personally respond as quickly as I can.

I look forward to putting you in a pair of AMMO. Your “boys” will thank you. Trust me.

-Jay

About Jay Cellura

Jay is the founder of AMMO Athletic. He’s a former all-conference WR at Case Western Reserve University and an avid gym rat. Jay spent six years investing in and advising companies in the financial world. He most recently founded a funded e-sports startup.